Recent demand for improved catalytic materials, improved films and/or coating multicomponent compositions with improved uniformity of dispersion and/or homogeneity have focused attention on the development of new procedures for preparing such materials and the new systems derived therefrom. Often, these new systems require superior uniform dispersion and greater control of the atomic homogeneity of the resulting material compositions. Such properties have become critical not only in such areas as catalyst preparation and manufacture, but also in chip construction and manufacture, metal oxide superconductor construction and manufacture, inorganic and/or metallic film coating preparation and manufacture, and low-temperature ceramic construction and manufacture.
Dispersion is an important consideration in catalytic systems where the size of catalytically active domains can and does cause changes in the catalytic activity and behavior. Dispersion is also important in film and/or coating processes where the film and/or coating is made by submitting a precursor material to post deposition treatments such as high temperature treatments, oxidation in an oxygen containing gas, reduction in hydrogen, or other such post deposition treatment.
Uniformity is important in all such applications because uniformity is a critical parameter in controlling the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the ultimate system. Uniformity contributes to the domain size and coverage qualities of coatings and depositions and contributes to the bulk and microscopic distribution of components in a multicomponent solid material.
Homogeneity is an important parameter as well because the ability to prepare compositions where the macroscopic stoichiometry of the components is faithfully reproduced on the microscopic scale (either nanometer or sub micron or atomic scale) can increase the effective compositional range of mixed component systems. Disruptions in the homogeneity of a composition can greatly attenuate or adversely affect the desired properties and characteristics of any article or material made from the composition.
Thus, it would be an advantage in the art to provide for easy, convenient, effective, and efficient methods for facilitating the formation of new uniformly dispersed and/or homogeneously distributed single or multi component compositions and materials, such as coatings and shaped articles, made from such compositions.